Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 19, Shloka 18

Adhyaya 19 — Kartavirya Arjuna at Dattatreya’s Ashram: Boons, Sovereignty, and Vaishnava Praise

Sanskrit

अनष्टद्रव्यता राष्ट्रे ममानुस्मरणेन च ।

त्वयि भक्तिर्ममैवास्तु नित्यमव्यभिचारिणी ॥

Transliteration

anaṣṭadravyatā rāṣṭre mamānusmaraṇena ca /

tvayi bhaktir mamaivāstu nityam avyabhicāriṇī

Translation

Let there be no loss of property in my kingdom through my remembrance of you. And let my devotion to you indeed be constant, ever unwavering.

Word by Word

• अनष्ट-द्रव्यता: non-loss of wealth
• अनष्ट-द्रव्यता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + द्रव्यता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; कर्मधारय-समास (अनष्टा द्रव्यता) — “non-loss of wealth/property”

• राष्ट्रे: in the kingdom
• राष्ट्रे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• अनुस्मरणेन: by remembrance (of me)
• अनुस्मरणेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुस्मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• त्वयि: in you
• त्वयि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• भक्तिः: devotion
• भक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण-निपात)

• अस्तु: let it be
• अस्तु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: Imperative/benedictive sense (लोट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative (क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण द्वितीया)

• अव्यभिचारिणी: unfailing/steadfast
• अव्यभिचारिणी: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-व्यभिचारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; विशेषण of ‘भक्तिः’

Speakers

• Kārtavīrya speaking (to Dattātreya)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "bhakti", "secondaryRasa": "shanta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Dattātreya
• Kārtavīrya Arjuna

Key Themes

• Rāṣṭra-kṣema (public welfare)
• Smaraṇa (remembrance)
• Steadfast bhakti
• Prosperity and security

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Public welfare is tied to the ruler’s inner discipline: remembrance of the divine is portrayed as generating order and security, while unwavering devotion prevents ethical drift.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Carita: it defines the spiritual foundation of a king’s reign, linking governance outcomes (security of property) to dharmic alignment.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Smaraṇa’ is a subtle sādhana: continuous recollection stabilizes the mind; in mythic language, that inner stability ‘radiates’ as stability in the realm (anaṣṭadravyatā).